How to Install ADB on Linux

ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge that makes the communication between your Android device and your computer possible. ADB has variations for various operating systems and it is available for all three major OSes namely Windows, Mac, and Linux. While we have already covered the installation procedure for ADB on Windows and Mac, this tutorial aims to teach you how you can set up ADB on a Linux machine.

Setting up ADB and Fastboot on Linux is not as difficult as you may think; in fact, it is easier than the Windows and Mac versions. In order to install ADB on your Linux machine, all you need to do is run a couple of commands from the Terminal and that should be it. You will be up and running with ADB on your machine.

Here is the entire procedure for doing so on your Linux (Ubuntu) powered machine:

Installing Android Debug Bridge (ADB) on Linux

If your Linux has been properly set up and has all the repositories added to it, you do not need to run the following command. But if you are not sure or you do know the following repository does not exist on your machine, you can run the command and it will add the repository for you.

You are required to add the repository because that is what hosts the ADB package for Linux. Once that is added, you can then run another command that will fetch the ADB package and install on your machine.

To add the repository, simply open Terminal on your Linux by going to Dash, typing in “Terminal”, and clicking on it and it will launch. Alternatively, for quicker access to Terminal, you can press the shortcut key Ctrl-Alt+T and it will launch the Terminal app for you.

Once Terminal opens, type in the following command and hit Enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:phablet-team/tools && sudo apt-get update

Since the command uses sudo, you should be asked to provide your admin password. Do so and move forward.

The command should have added the repository by now. If so, type in the following command into Terminal to fetch and install the ADB package on your machine:

sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb android-tools-fastboot

Wait for it to fetch and install the package on your machine. The time that it takes depends on the size of the package and the speed of your Internet connection. You should be done in a few minutes, though.

When the ADB package is successfully installed on your machine, you should be all set to issue commands to your attached Android device. There are actually a number of useful commands that you can use to perform tasks on your device. For instance, you can run a command that installs an app from your computer to your device, then there is a command that lets you reboot your phone into various modes, and so on.

There are various places you can learn these commands from and then apply them to your device. Mostly, you will be using these commands when you are either rooting or installing a custom file on your device. That is when the ADB is used the most.

So, have fun with ADB and let us know how it is helping you get tasks done on your device!